Water Electrical Conductivity (EC)

AUS-TMI-CON-WEC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

1500 μS/cm

Direction: Lower is desirable ↓

Form: UpperThreshold

Scoring Curve

This curve shows how a field measurement for this indicator would score across all available benchmark forms in this context. The scoring engine uses 9 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 8 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary Point Guard LowerThreshold Guard UpperThreshold Guard MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

sustained EC levels exceeding 1,500 0003μS/cm are considered actively detrimental to the health, biodiversity, and ecological integrity of these sensitive freshwater island ecosystems.

Metric Definition:

Electrical Conductivity (EC) is a fundamental physical property of water that quantifies its ability to conduct an electrical current.

Benchmark Definition:

The electrical conductivity value corresponding to 1000 mg/L TDS, above which adverse biological effects are likely.

Justification:

direct adverse biological effects—including impacts on community structure and the health of sensitive species—are likely to occur when salinity exceeds approximately 1000 mg/L TDS

Sources (1)

Preview of Salinity tolerances of two Australian freshwater turtles, Chelodina expansa and Emydura macquarii (Testudinata: Chelidae) - PubMed Central, accessed August 4, 2025,

Salinity tolerances of two Australian freshwater turtles, Chelodina expansa and Emydura macquarii (Testudinata: Chelidae) - PubMed Central, accessed August 4, 2025, Journal

Salinity tolerances of two Australian freshwater turtles, Chelodina expansa and Emydura macquarii (Testudinata: Chelidae) - PubMed Central, accessed August 4, 2025,

Supporting Sources (46)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) A review of the salt sensitivity of the Australian freshwater biota, accessed August 11, 2025,

(PDF) A review of the salt sensitivity of the Australian freshwater biota, accessed August 11, 2025,

Direct Evidence Journal

Salinity Tolerances of Freshwater Macroinvertebrates

Preview of 1.5.2.1 Surface water - Bioregional Assessments |, accessed August 11, 2025,

1.5.2.1 Surface water - Bioregional Assessments |, accessed August 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Percentage compliance with ANZECC water quality trigger values for aquatic ecosystems, primary contact recreation and secondary

Preview of 5.9 Conductivity | Monitoring & Assessment | US EPA, accessed August 11, 2025,

5.9 Conductivity | Monitoring & Assessment | US EPA, accessed August 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

archive.epa.gov

Preview of Australia's protected areas - DCCEEW, accessed August 4, 2025,

Australia's protected areas - DCCEEW, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Collaborative Australian Protected Areas Database: protected area data - DCCEEW

Preview of Conductivity (Electrical Conductance) and Water | U.S. Geological Survey - USGS.gov, accessed August 4, 2025,

Conductivity (Electrical Conductance) and Water | U.S. Geological Survey - USGS.gov, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support

5.9 Conductivity | Monitoring & Assessment | US EPA, accessed August 4, 2025

Preview of CSIRO Research Publications Repository - Home Page, accessed August 4, 2025,

CSIRO Research Publications Repository - Home Page, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Direct Evidence Government

The state of play on Norfolk Island's reef, accessed July 27, 2025

Preview of Declining water quality - Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, accessed August 1, 2025

Declining water quality - Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, accessed August 1, 2025

Contextual Support Government

Monitoring wetland water quality related to livestock grazing in amphibian habitats - PMC, accessed July 25, 2025,

Preview of Dedication Ceremony for Masigilgal Indigenous Protected Area in Torres Strait, accessed August 4, 2025,

Dedication Ceremony for Masigilgal Indigenous Protected Area in Torres Strait, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Dedication Ceremony for Masigilgal Indigenous Protected Area in Torres Strait, accessed August 4, 2025,

Preview of Diving deeper into nutrient pathways to help protect Lord Howe Island's marine haven, accessed August 4, 2025,

Diving deeper into nutrient pathways to help protect Lord Howe Island's marine haven, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Managing urban and non-agricultural run-off to the Reef ..., accessed August 2, 2025

Preview of Do laboratory salinity tolerances of freshwater animals correspond with their field salinity? - ResearchGate, accessed August 4, 2025,

Do laboratory salinity tolerances of freshwater animals correspond with their field salinity? - ResearchGate, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support

Larval Tolerance to Salinity in Three Species of Australian Anuran: An Indication of Saline Specialisation in Litoria aurea - PMC, accessed August 4, 2025

Preview of Hydrology and water management on small tropical islands, accessed August 4, 2025,

Hydrology and water management on small tropical islands, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Hydrology and water management on small tropical islands, accessed August 4, 2025,

Preview of Identifying water quality and ecosystem health threats ... - NESP TWQ, accessed August 3, 2025,

Identifying water quality and ecosystem health threats ... - NESP TWQ, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

report - Fitzroy Partnership for River Health, accessed August 3, 2025

Preview of Larval Tolerance to Salinity in Three Species of Australian Anuran: An Indication of Saline Specialisation in Litoria aurea - PMC, accessed August 4, 2025,

Larval Tolerance to Salinity in Three Species of Australian Anuran: An Indication of Saline Specialisation in Litoria aurea - PMC, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

The effects of salinity on aquatic plant germination and zooplankton hatching from two wetland sediments, accessed August 4, 2025

Preview of Lord Howe Island - Wikipedia, accessed July 30, 2025,

Lord Howe Island - Wikipedia, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Lord Howe Island - Wikipedia

Preview of Lord Howe Island Biodiversity Management Plan - DCCEEW, accessed August 4, 2025,

Lord Howe Island Biodiversity Management Plan - DCCEEW, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Geology | Norfolk Island National Park | Parks Australia

Preview of LORD HOWE ISLAND GROUP - World Heritage Datasheet - UNEP-WCMC, accessed August 4, 2025,

LORD HOWE ISLAND GROUP - World Heritage Datasheet - UNEP-WCMC, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Lord Howe Island, NSW 2898 Telephone: (02) 65632066, accessed August 4, 2025

Preview of Lord Howe Island Marine Park - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed August 4, 2025,

Lord Howe Island Marine Park - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Irrelevant Government

Making waves in aquaculture: Isaak Kadel's journey - CSIRO, accessed August 1, 2025

Preview of Lord Howe Island Marine Park - Wikipedia, accessed August 3, 2025,

Lord Howe Island Marine Park - Wikipedia, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Lord Howe Island Marine Park - Wikipedia, accessed August 1, 2025

Preview of Lord Howe Island Marine Park News Water Quality Research Collaboration, accessed August 3, 2025,

Lord Howe Island Marine Park News Water Quality Research Collaboration, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Diving deeper into nutrient pathways to help protect Lord Howe Island's marine haven, accessed August 4, 2025

Preview of Lord Howe Island, NSW 2898 Telephone: (02) 65632066, accessed August 4, 2025,

Lord Howe Island, NSW 2898 Telephone: (02) 65632066, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) definition of forest canopy cover minimum

Preview of Management implications for Lord Howe Island Groundwater Quality - USC Research Bank, accessed August 4, 2025,

Management implications for Lord Howe Island Groundwater Quality - USC Research Bank, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Torres Strait Indigenous Protected Areas (IPA's) - North West Atlas, accessed August 4, 2025

Preview of Management of Fresh Water Lenses on Small Pacific Islands, accessed August 4, 2025,

Management of Fresh Water Lenses on Small Pacific Islands, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Norfolk Island Water Resource Assessment, accessed August 4, 2025

Preview of Mangroves and Wetlands | TSRA State of the Environment, accessed August 4, 2025,

Mangroves and Wetlands | TSRA State of the Environment, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Lord Howe Island Marine Park - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed August 4, 2025

Preview of Monitoring progress | Protecting the Great Barrier Reef, accessed August 4, 2025,

Monitoring progress | Protecting the Great Barrier Reef, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Pollution & Water Quality in the Great Barrier Reef - Australian Marine Conservation Society, accessed August 4, 2025

Preview of Norfolk Island Environmental Assessment Executive Summary, accessed August 3, 2025,

Norfolk Island Environmental Assessment Executive Summary, accessed August 3, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Land Use Impacts on Coral Reef Health: A Ridge-to-Reef Perspective - Frontiers

Preview of Norfolk Island Marine Water Quality Monitoring Data 2022-2024 - CSIRO Data Access Portal, accessed August 4, 2025,

Norfolk Island Marine Water Quality Monitoring Data 2022-2024 - CSIRO Data Access Portal, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Direct Evidence Government

1.5.2.1 Surface water - Bioregional Assessments |, accessed August 4, 2025

Preview of Norfolk Island Water Quality Assessment - CSIRO Research Publications Repository, accessed August 4, 2025,

Norfolk Island Water Quality Assessment - CSIRO Research Publications Repository, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Norfolk Island Water Quality Assessment - CSIRO

Preview of Norfolk Island Water Quality Assessment - CSIRO, accessed August 4, 2025,

Norfolk Island Water Quality Assessment - CSIRO, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Norfolk Island Water Quality Assessment - CSIRO Research Publications Repository, accessed August 4, 2025

Preview of Norfolk Island Water Quality Assessment - Squarespace, accessed August 4, 2025,

Norfolk Island Water Quality Assessment - Squarespace, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Methodology Source Journal

Norfolk Island Water Quality Assessment - Squarespace

Preview of Norfolk Island Water Resource Assessment - CSIRO, accessed August 4, 2025,

Norfolk Island Water Resource Assessment - CSIRO, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Methodology Source Journal

Common soil types | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed July 30, 2025

Preview of Norfolk Island Water Resource Assessment project | Department of ..., accessed August 4, 2025,

Norfolk Island Water Resource Assessment project | Department of ..., accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Irrelevant

Norfolk Island Water Resource Assessment project | Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts

Preview of Norfolk Island Water Resource Assessment, accessed July 30, 2025,

Norfolk Island Water Resource Assessment, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support Methodology Source Journal

Climate-Affected Australian Tropical Montane Cloud Forest Plants: Metabolomic Profiles, Isolated Phytochemicals, and Bioactivities - PubMed Central

Preview of Pollution & Water Quality in the Great Barrier Reef - Australian Marine Conservation Society, accessed August 1, 2025

Pollution & Water Quality in the Great Barrier Reef - Australian Marine Conservation Society, accessed August 1, 2025

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Declining water quality - Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, accessed August 4, 2025

Preview of Poor Water Quality - Great Barrier Reef Foundation, accessed August 4, 2025,

Poor Water Quality - Great Barrier Reef Foundation, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Norfolk Island Water Resource Assessment project | Department of ..., accessed August 4, 2025

Preview of Protected areas of Australia - Wikipedia, accessed August 4, 2025,

Protected areas of Australia - Wikipedia, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Mangroves and Wetlands | TSRA State of the Environment, accessed August 4, 2025

Preview of Salinity Affects Freshwater Invertebrate Traits and Litter Decomposition - MDPI, accessed August 4, 2025,

Salinity Affects Freshwater Invertebrate Traits and Litter Decomposition - MDPI, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Salinity tolerance of Murray hardyhead - Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, accessed August 4, 2025

Preview of Salinity tolerance of Murray hardyhead - Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, accessed August 4, 2025,

Salinity tolerance of Murray hardyhead - Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Direct Evidence GreyLiterature

Salinity tolerance of Murray hardyhead - Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, accessed August 4, 2025,

Preview of Sustainability - Lord Howe Island, accessed August 4, 2025,

Sustainability - Lord Howe Island, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support

Sustainability - Lord Howe Island, accessed August 4, 2025,

Preview of The effects of salinity on aquatic plant germination and zooplankton hatching from two wetland sediments, accessed August 4, 2025,

The effects of salinity on aquatic plant germination and zooplankton hatching from two wetland sediments, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support

The effects of salinity on aquatic plant germination and zooplankton hatching from two wetland sediments, accessed August 4, 2025,

Preview of The Environmental Impact of Conductivity Measurement in Water Quality - BOQU Instrument, accessed August 4, 2025,

The Environmental Impact of Conductivity Measurement in Water Quality - BOQU Instrument, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

The Environmental Impact of Conductivity Measurement in Water Quality - BOQU Instrument, accessed August 4, 2025

Preview of Torres Strait Indigenous Protected Areas (IPA's) - North West Atlas, accessed August 4, 2025,

Torres Strait Indigenous Protected Areas (IPA's) - North West Atlas, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Torres Strait Indigenous Protected Areas (IPA's) - North West Atlas, accessed August 2, 2025

Preview of Using Optical Water-Type Classification in Data-Poor Water Quality Assessment: A Case Study in the Torres Strait - ResearchOnline@JCU, accessed August 4, 2025,

Using Optical Water-Type Classification in Data-Poor Water Quality Assessment: A Case Study in the Torres Strait - ResearchOnline@JCU, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Identifying water quality and ecosystem health threats to the Torres Strait from runoff arising from mine-derived pollution of the Fly River - NESP TWQ, accessed August 4, 2025

Preview of Using the ANZECC Guidelines and Water Quality Objectives in NSW, accessed August 11, 2025,

Using the ANZECC Guidelines and Water Quality Objectives in NSW, accessed August 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Regulatory Framework Journal

Reference-site data - Water Quality Australia

Preview of Water Quality – how healthy is the sea in Torres Strait, and what are the risks? - eAtlas, accessed August 4, 2025,

Water Quality – how healthy is the sea in Torres Strait, and what are the risks? - eAtlas, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Monitoring progress | Protecting the Great Barrier Reef, accessed August 4, 2025

Preview of Water quality guidelines - Queensland Environment Department, accessed August 4, 2025,

Water quality guidelines - Queensland Environment Department, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Regulatory Framework Journal

Seasonal changes in water quality and macrophytes and the ...

Preview of What Is The Typical Water Conductivity Range? - Atlas Scientific, accessed August 4, 2025,

What Is The Typical Water Conductivity Range? - Atlas Scientific, accessed August 4, 2025,

Contextual Support Irrelevant

Norfolk Island Environmental Assessment Executive Summary, accessed August 4, 2025

Context

Region Australia
Biome Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands
Land Use Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
Assessment Conservation Target
Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 31 May 2026

Notes

Upper Detrimental Threshold: 1500 00μS/cm. Sustained measurements above this value indicate the system is no longer functioning within its natural range of variability.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TMI-CON-WEC family.